Typewriting-machine



J. DUCKSTINE.

TYPEWRITING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 10, 1918. 1,368,491. A Patented Feb. 15,1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET J. DUCKSTINE. TYPEWRITING MACHINE. APPLICATION man JULY10. ms.

Patented Feb. 15, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- IIIIIIII /n ven fan- 49% A ffar'ne JULIUS DUOKSTINE,OF NEW YORK.

Comm, 0! NEW YORK, N. Y.,

N. Y., ASSIGNOB TO UNDEBWOOD TYYEWRITEB A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

TYPEWRITING-HAOHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent. v

Patented Feb. 15, 1921.

Application filed July 10, 1918. Serial No. 244,285.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J news Duons'rmn, a citizen of the United States,residing in New York, in the county of New York and States of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements inTypewriting-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to typewriting machines of the fan-fold type,wherein .work sheets comprisin plies of webs interleaved with sheets ofcar on are fed around a cylindrical platen in a manner illustrated anddescribed in patent issued to Nernery and Smith, No. 1,132,055, datedMarch 16, 1915.

In said patent, the platen is swung upwardly to straighten out the pliesof webs and carbons, so that the webs may be moved forwardly for gaging,and the carbons retracted into engagement with fresh portions of Webs,preparatory to typing of a succeeding. form.

An object of my invention is to simplify the construction andmanipulation of the machine, and increase its usefulness.

I rovide upon the usual platen frame of the nderwood typewriter carriagea rack of superposed sheet-guides in the form of sheet-separators oraprons combined to form runways or chutes extending behind and under theplaten. The work-sheets comprising plies of web and carbons are thenalternately threaded between the guides at the receiving side of theplaten, and fed under and around the platen to the printing point, sothat each web and carbon will underlie a. guide except the innermost plywhich is contiguous to the platen. The typing of the forms ma then takeplace.

After the forms have been fed around the platen by theline-spacingmechanism and feed rolls, the feed rolls are released, and the carbonsare retracted to their normal positions into engagement with freshportions of the webs, by moving rearwardly the carbon-shifter to whichthe carbons are attached. Said guides separate the carbons and the websfrom one another, thereby serving as anti-friction agencies to preventbinding, and to permit retraction of the carbons even though the platenframe remains in its normal position. The carbons slip back easily overtheir smooth metal guides, without being retarded by the webs,

which they do not touch at this portion of their travel.

A soon as the carbons are retracted, the leading edges of the webs maybe drawn forwardly through the guides to a gage to br ng a succeedingform to the printing point. During this movement of the webs, thecarbons may remain stationary.

During the typing of a set of forms, the effective grip by which thework-sheets are fed about the platen is confined to the relatively smallarea of friction contact in the vicinity of the feed-rolls, which arelocated forward of and above the delivery ends of the paper runways, andare here shown just above the printing line of the types with respect tothe platen. All mutual surface contact between the work-sheets as theyare deflected about the platen by the anti-friction runways is preventedby the separators, so that each sheet is free to move to the vicinity ofthe printing line independently of the others, thus avoidingobjectionable creeping or over-feeding of an outer sheet by an innersheet.

Typing may proceed in both upper and lower case positions of the platen.since said guides are mounted on the usual Underwo od platen frame andare shiftable with the platen at the actuation of the usual Underwoodcase-shift key.

In machines of the \Vernery and Smith type, the carbon-shifterreciprocates along rails on a. rear extension of the typewritercarriage. When using the herein disclosed web and carbon guides, ashorter rear extension of said carriage ma be employed than heretofore,since the car ons do not need to be retracted so far. This permitsreduction in the dimensions and weight of the machine.

Other features and inafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side sectional elevation. showing the carbonsin a retracted advantages will hereposition and the parts in normalwriting position.

Fig. 2 is a sectional side platen, and guides for guiding carbonsthereunder.

F ig. 3 is a front sectional view 0 f the guides and platen, anarrangement being shown for use with separate webs.

view of the the webs and arating the webs 16 Fig. 4 is a vieiv similarto Fig. 3. showing the arrangement for use with fa n-fold webs, a guidebeing provided for each ply of web and for each carbon.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. I}, showing the arrangement for afan-fold web. a guide being provided for each carbon and an overlyingply of web.

Webs 1U having forms repeatedly printed thereon a re led from a sourceof supply (not shown) over a carbon-carrier or shifter 11. Fig. 1. andpassed between blades 12 thereof to which are fastened sheets of carbon13. so t iat said sheets of carbon will be interleaved letween the pliesof webs 16. The leading edges 14 of said webs are then threaded over andinto a set of guides 15 in the form of paper-aprons. and are therebyguided under a cylindrical platen l6 and over the printing point andunder feed-rolls 17. which are in released position during the web-imserting operation. the front roll 17 being broken away in Fig. 1 to showpart of a roll 17 to the rear thereof.

The feed-rolls 17 are then moved to effective position. and typing ofthe forms proceeded with. a line-spacing.mechanism 18. indicated ingeneral in Fig. l. being provided to feed the webs 10 and carbons 13through the. guides 15 and around the platen 16.

The platen and feed-rolls are revolubly mounted on a platen frame 19,Figs. 1, 3. 4 and 5, shiftable on the usual Fnderwood typewritercarriage 20; and the guides 15 are fast on said frame 19 and areshiftable therewith.

After the typing of a form is completed, the feed-rolls 14 are moved toineffective position, and the carbon-carrier '11 shifted rearwardly tonormal position. Fig. 1. to retract the carbons 13 into engagement withfresh portions or forms of the webs 1U. 'hen the carbon-shifter 11 is inits rearmost position, the webs 10 are manually drawn forwardly over apaper-table 26, Fig. 1, fast on the platen frame 19. to bring theleading edges H to a gage 27 so as to move a fresh portion of web 10 tothe printing point, after which the typed form may be torn off from thewebs and the operations repeated for each succeeding form.

To prevent binding of the webs 10 and carbons 13. each on all of theothers, in a carbon-retraeting operation or in a wel gaging operation.without displacing the platen 16 for this purpose. the webs and carbonsare separated under the platen by the guides 15 to avoid frictionalcontact be tween said webs and carbons as they pass around the platenand in the rear thereof.

For this purpose. the guides 15 for sepand carbons 13 extend over theentire length of the platen 16, Fig.

3. and under and behind said platen, Figs. 1 and 2. Said guides 15 areapproximately ogee-foriii. are superposed and co-extensive, convergingtoward their forward or delivery ends 31. Fig. 2, and diverging towardtheir rear or receiving ends 32. so as to afford a greater space betweensaid guides at the receiving ends to facilitate the insertion of theplies of webs and carbons.

To economize space and to enable the guiding devices to be applied toexisting machines, the guides 15 are in closer proximity as theyapproach and pass around the platen 16.

The extreme forward ends 31 of said guides converge toward the printingpoint 34 of said platen. and the rear ends 32 are curved toward thecarlmn-shifter 11, so that said webs and carbons will travel in an evenline from said shifter 11 to the printing point 34 at which theycontact.

To avoid injury to the carbons 13 in retracting and line-feedingoperations, the ends 32. 33 of the guides 15 are rounded, Fig. 2. andthe portions of said guides, which contact with the carbons and webs,may be highly polished.

'hen separate webs are employed. the guides 15 may be supported at eachend by side plates -10, ig. 3, fast on the platen frame 19. 'henfan-fold webs 11 are employed. Figs. 4 and 5. the guides preferably donot extend the entire length of the platen, and may be supported only atone end alter nately on said side plates 16.

A guide 15 mav be provided for each ply of web and for each sheet ofcarbon; but when it is desired to use an increased num ber of plies ofwebs, a sheet of carbon and a superposed ply of web may pass between anytwo adjacent guides 15, Fig. 5. permit ting the use of more plies withthe same number of guides. By the same means. the amount of spaceoccupied by the necessary number of guides may be reduced by reducingthe number of guides for a given munber of webs.

lVhen fan-fold webs 41 are used, and a guide 15 is provided for each plyand for each carbon, the guides may extend across the platen 16alternately in pairs from each of the side plates 40, the free ends ofeach pair being joined by auxiliary side plates 12, as seen in Fig. 4,thereby aiding in the support of said guides.

When fan-fold webs 411 are used with a guide 15 for each carbon and aply of superposed web. said guides may extend singly and alternatelyfrom each side plate 40, said guides being sufficiently curved to resiststrain. so that a support -10 at one end thereof will be sufficient. Itwill be noted that the guides 15. Figs. 4 and 5, for use with fan-foldwebs 41 may also be used for separate sheets of webs 10 in the samemanner as the guides 15 Fig. 3, which extend from one side plate 40 tothe other.

It will be noted that when fan-fold webs are used, a lesser divergenceof the guides at their rear may be employed so that the plies will notbe excessively separated at their joining or side edges.

The machine is adapted to write upper and lower-case characters, thetype-bars 45, Figs. 1 and 2, being provided with upper and lower-casetype 46, 47, respectively. The platen frame 19 is connected with theusual Underwood case-shift mechanism 48, Fig. 1, for raising andlowering the platen 16, together with the guides 15.

To operate the feed-rolls 17 which cooperate with the platen 16 toline-feed the webs 10, 41, said feed-rolls are mounted on arms 55, Fig.1, fast on a rock shaft 56, which is journaled in the platen frame 19and has a handle 57 whereby said feed-rolls 17 may be moved into and outof engagement with the webs. A spring 58 is pro vided for holding saidfeed-rolls against the laten and away from the platen; a stop 59 eingprovided on the platen frame 19 to limit the outward movement of saidfeedrolls.

It will be noted that since the platen 16 remains in normal positionduring a carbonretraoting and web-gaging operation, the sheets of carbon13 and webs 10, 41, need not be straightened out when the carbon-shifter11 is moved rearwardly to its starting point, thereby enabling the useof shorter rails (30, on which said carbon-shifter travels. than wouldbe required in case the carbons and webs were straightened forcarbon-retraction and the shifter moved back beyond the starting point.lVith this construction, the rear extension 61 of the t pewritercarriage 20 may be considerably shorter, thereby reducing the dimensionsof the carriage and the supporting means for said carriage. A lighterand smalllcr structure is thereby attained.

A condensed record sheet 62, Fig. 2, adjacent the platen 16 may be usedin connection with the webs 10, 41. It will be noted that since the'platen is in normal position in a carbon-retracting and web-gagingoperation, the natural retraction of said record sheet 62, which takesplace at the return to normal position of a displaceable platen, such asused in said patent, is herein avoided by the use of said guides 15. inaddition. a guide 15 separates the superposed carbon sheet 13 from saidcondensed record sheet 62, and avoids any tendenc of the carbon sheet toretract the record sheet. due to friction therebetween.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the'invention, andportions of the improvements may be used without others.

cooperating Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a typewriting machine, nation with a cylindrical platen, ofcarbonretracting means, and means for guiding and feeding work-sheetsand carbons. controlled by said carbon-rctracting. means to and aboutthe platen. said guiding means comprising spaced separators forming antifriction runways for deflected portions 0 the work-sheets.

2. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a cylindrical platen,of means with said platen to enable the same to feed work-sheetsthercabout without creeping, said means including superposed spacedseparators having portions curved to conform with the surface of saidplaten, so as to provide separate anti-friction runways for deflectedportions of the work-sheets.

3. In a typewriting machine. the combination with a platen, of means toguide superposed work-sheets to the printing line, said guiding meanscomprising spaced separators forming anti-friction runways. and feedingmeans for said work-sheets gripping rthe parts thereof which have beencarried past the printing line.

4. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a cylindrical platen,of means for guiding and feeding work-sheets to and about the same, saidguiding means comprising a plurality of superposed separators. each ofwhich is reversely curved. forming individual paper runways for saidworksheets to deflect them in their paths about said platen, whilemaintaining them free from mutual surface contact so that one may bemoved independently of the other.

the combi- 5. In a typewriting machine. the colnbinn tion with acylindrical platen. of means for guiding and feeding work-slimts to andabout the same, said guiding means compris ing a pluralit of superposedseparators forming antiriction paper runways for said sheets, saidseparators having portions curved in conformity with said platen andclosely nested thcreabout. and other portions diverging from saidclosely related portions to provide entrance openings of ampledimensions to facilitate the feedingof the work-sheets between theseparators into said runways,

6. In a typewriting machine. in combination, a platen, case-shiftmechanism therefor including means for shifting said platen from onecase-position to another, means for guiding and feeding work-sheets andinterleaved carbons to and about said platen, said guiding meanscomprising spaced separators forming anti-friction runways for deflectedportions of the work-sheets. said separators being mounted in fixedrelation with the platen mounting so as to bc shifted therewith, andcarbons.

T. In a typewritingmachine,the combination with a platen, of means forguiding and feeding work-sheets and interleaved carbonsheets to theprinting line, said means including a separator between the sheets ofeach pair of adjacent sheets to enable free relative movement thereof,and carbon-sheet retracting means.

8. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a cylindrical platen,of means for guiding and feeding work-sheets to and about the same, saidguiding means comprising superposed spaced separators forminganti-friction runways for portions of the work-sheets deflected incurved paths about the platen, each of said separators being extendedbeyond its next inner neighbor at its forward edge and turned slightlytoward the platen so as to deflect the work-sheets to bring them intoclose relation at the delivery ends of the runways.

9. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a c lindrical platen,of means for guiding an feeding work-sheets comprising webs of forms andinterleaved carbons to and about said platen, said guiding meanscomprising spaced separators forming anti-friction runways, one for eachweb section, and one for each carbon, the innermost runway being formedby the innermost separator and the adjacent surface of said, platen.said runways providing means whereby the web sections and carbons may beindependently moved while in the curved paths about said platen.

10. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a cylindrical platen,of means for guiding and feeding work-sheets comprising webs of formsand interleaved carbons to and about said platen, said guiding meanscomprising spaced separators having portions curved to conform with thesurface of said platen, so as to provide separate antifriction runwaysfor deflected portions of the worksheets, one for each web section, andone for each carbon.

11. In a typewriting machine, in combination, a clylindrical platen, aletter-spacing carriage tierefor, means mounted in said carriage forguiding and feeding worksheets comprising webs of forms and interleavedcarbons to and about said platen, and a carbon-adjusting device movablymounted in said carriage, said guiding means comprising spacedseparators forming antifriction runways for deflected portions of saidwork-sheets, whereby the carbons may be freely retracted relatively tosaid web sections by said carbon-adjustin device, while said work-sheetsare maintained in their curved paths about said platen.

12. In a typewriting machine, in combination, a cylindrical platen, aletter-spacing means for retracting said carriage therefor, meansmounted in said carriage for guiding and feeding worksheets comprisingwebs of forms and an interleaved carbon'to and about said platen, and acarbon-adjusting device movably mounted in said carriage, said guidingmeans including a sheet deflector to maintain a separated relationbetween a sheet and the carbon efi'ective thereon, as they are deflectedthrough a curved path about said platen, so that said carbon may befreely retracted by said carbon-adjusting device while said sheets aremaintained in their curved paths about said platen.

In a typewritin machine, in combination, a c lindrical pIaten, aletter-spacin carriage t erefor, means mounted in sai carriage forguidin and feeding worksheets comprising we s of forms and interleavedcarbons to and about said platen, and a carbon-adjusting device movablymounted in said carriage, said guiding means comprising superposedspaced separators forming anti-friction runways having portions curvedin conformity with the surface of said platen, and ot er portionsreversely curved to provide entrance openings directed toward thecarbon-adjusting device, so that web-sheets and carbons fed from thecarbonedjusting device to said runways will be tangent to the separatorsat the points of entrance.

14. In a typewriting machine, in combination, a platen, means forfeeding worksheets to and about said platen and beyond the printingline, said feeding means comprising means for establishing a feedinggrip between said platen and said sheets in the printing line, and antifriction guiding means to deflect said sheets about said platen to thevicinity of the printing line while permitting free movement of onesheet relatively to another, thus preventirig creeping by theover-feeding of one sheet by another.

15. n a typewriting machine, in combination, a platen, means for feedingworksheets to and about said platen and beyond the printing line, saidfeedin means comprising feed-rolls for establishing a feeding gripbetween said platen and said sheets above the printing line, andanti-friction paper runways to deflect said sheets about said platen tothe vicinity of said printing line while permitting free movement of onethe vicinity of sheet relatively to another, thus preventing a creepingby the over-feeding 0 one sheet by another.

16. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a cylindrical platen,of means for guiding and feeding work-sheets to and about the same, saidguiding means comprising spaced separators forming anti-friction runwaysfor deflected portions of the worksheets, and end supports for mountingsaid separators in fixed relation with res ct to I the axis of saidplaten, one of sai separaters being one being attached attached to onesupport, and

to the other, the width orted by a single supe distance between themachine, the combination with a cylindrical platen, of means for guidingand feeding about the same, said ing spaced work-sheets to and guidimn.means cornprisse arators vforming anti-friction runways for eflectedportions of the worksheets, and and supports for mounting saidseparators in fixe relation with res eot to 15 the axis of said platen,certain of sai separators being grouped in pairs, of whlch alternatepairs are attached to opposite end supports, the paired separators hemof less width than e distance between t e sup- 20 ports.

JULIUS DUCKSTINE.

Witnesses:

.CATHERINE A. NEWELL, Eorra B. LIBBEY.

